


Belonging

by Not__Misha__Collins



Series: After the War [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Death, Cursed Child What Cursed Child, Fluff, Insane Draco, M/M, Non Canon Ship, Post-War, Survivor Guilt, canon events
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 13:07:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15606963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not__Misha__Collins/pseuds/Not__Misha__Collins
Summary: Harry feels like he doesn't belong at Fred's funeral, so he leaves.





	1. Beginnings

He wasn’t worthy to stand among the crowd mourning Fred. Harry stood in the back, watching, as the small group consisting of the Weasley’s, Hermione, and a couple of the twin’s school friends gathered around the casket. Of course, he felt the pain, the loss, but…He couldn’t shake the feeling that he didn’t belong, that he was an imposter. You let him die, and you have the nerve to come here, to intrude on their grief.  
“Harry,” Ron looked back at him, concerned, “Are you…”  
“Need a minute,” he turned away from the crowd.  
Ron nodded, and went back with his family. Harry stepped behind a tree and dissaparated.  
…  
It had been their third year that Ron had shown interest in him. Hermione figured it out quickly enough, how they seemed glued to each other.  
“You’re being ridiculous,” Harry told her.  
“Ri…He follows you around like a puppy!”  
“So do you.”  
She huffed, “He fancies you, and you would know that if you opened your eyes!”  
Harry was silent as he contemplated Ron’s recent actions and words.  
“He’ll never ask you,” She said, “He’s too scared.”  
“Scared?” Harry scoffed.  
“That you’ll humiliate him.”  
“Why would I-?”  
“You wouldn’t. But he doesn’t know that.”  
“I’ll talk to him.”  
…  
“Ron,” Harry called, and the redhead looked up from his seat in the Gryffindor common room.  
“Harry,” Ron smiled.  
“You weren’t in class today.”  
“Oh. I...didn’t feel too well.”  
Harry thought for a moment, “Are you avoiding me?”  
“Why would I avoid you?”  
“Well, the other day, Hermione…”  
“Did…did she…tell you…?” Ron looked terrified.  
“She might have mentioned…”  
Ron groaned miserably.  
“Ron…”  
“Don’t.”  
Harry took Ron’s hand gently and the redhead smiled slightly.  
…  
They’d kissed behind the bleachers after a Quidditch match. They hadn’t gone public yet, or even told Ron’s family. Forget telling the Dursley’s.  
“Well, well, what do we have here?” A familiar voice, Fred, startled them.  
Ron pulled away, now refusing to look at his twin brothers. Harry stared at them almost defiantly.  
“Looks like our little bro’s got a love interest,” George teased.  
Harry lightened up at the twins’ seeming acceptance, but Ron had turned as red as his hair and ran off toward the castle.  
“I’ll get him,” Fred said, turning to go after his brother.  
“Really, Harry?” George cracked, a fake look of disgust on his face and in full earshot of Fred, “Dating a ginger?”  
…  
Ron had managed to somehow outrun (or out-hide) his brothers and Harry, until Hagrid notified them of his whereabouts.  
“He’s been real upset,” Hagrid told them, “Said ye’d had a fight, made me swear not to tell ye where he was. But I had te.”  
Hagrid opened the door to his hut and let them in. Harry entered first, then the twins, then Hagrid. Ron was inside, drinking tea. Fred whispered something to Hagrid, who instantly beamed with happiness.  
“’Course. I’ll be out back should ye need me,” Hagrid said as he exited the hut.  
“What did you tell him?” Ron panicked.   
“Nothing important,” Fred answered.  
Ron sniffed angrily and Harry stood next to him.  
“I thought he should know,” Fred defended.  
“It’s not your place to tell,” Ron said.  
“Right. Sorry.”  
The twins looked the most serious Harry had ever seen them.  
“Why did you run off?” George asked.  
“We were worried,” Fred added, “We thought you’d…”  
“What, run into the forest?” Ron asked, “I’m not stupid.”  
“No, you’re not,” Harry said, “That’s why you came here.”  
“Ron, what did you think would happen if we found out?” George asked.  
“I don’t…I don’t know.”  
“How long have you been together?”   
“A couple months,” Harry answered when Ron didn’t.  
The twins smiled.  
“Ron, as your older brothers, it’s our duty to protect you,” Fred began, “So, if Harry ever hurts you, or inconveniences you in any way…”  
“Let us know,” George continued.  
“And we’ll kill him,” Fred finished.  
“Horrifically,” George added.  
The twins were giggling, but Harry decided not to test them.  
…  
Fourth year, and Harry got his name in the Goblet of Fire, and Ron was jealous. It was their first real fight as a couple, and it made them miserable. Harry hadn’t realized how bad it’d gotten until Sirius pointed it out.   
“Harry, something’s bothering you.”  
Why not tell him?  
“You remember Ron?”  
“Ginger boy. Yes. How is his leg?”  
“Fine,” The teen answered, “It’s…We had a fight. He thinks I put my name in the goblet for attention, or fame, or...whatever. But I didn’t, and he won’t listen.”  
“Yes, well sometimes friendship is…”  
“It’s…more than that.”  
“More?”  
“We, at least, we WERE…together. You know, boyfriend and…boyfriend?”  
“Young love,” Sirius commented, “It’s always…messy. Full of heartbreak. Oh, but I’m sure he’ll come around.”  
“I…hope so.”  
“Now, onto the dragon.”  
…  
They’d eventually made up, and Harry had to rescue Ron from the bottom of the lake in the second trial. Seeing Ron unconscious like that upset him greatly.   
‘I’ve got you,’ He thought as he caressed Ron’s face, ‘Don’t worry.’  
…  
That wasn’t the end of their troubles. After Sirius died, they had another fight. Not a breakup: Hermione helped with that. She was so great at getting them to stop fighting, being a mediator, even for a moment. Except, of course, when the three of them went on the run in what should have been their seventh year. When Ron stomped out, when Harry couldn’t stop them.  
“He’ll be back,” Hermione said.  
Harry whimpered, unable to say anything.  
…  
‘I can’t even stand to touch you. You’re disgusting.”  
“Ron, don’t listen!” Harry exclaimed, “Stab it!”  
Ron stabbed the locket as Harry had instructed, dropping the sword afterward. Harry grabbed Ron in his arms and kissed him, gripping his hair and drinking in the very real heat that emanated from the redhead.  
“I love you,” Harry said, “You’re amazing, and…handsome, and everything HE said is bullshit!”  
Ron wiped tears from his face as he laughed at Harry’s cursing.  
…  
So, Harry found himself in Hogsmeade, avoiding the gaze of the bar patrons, who seemed to gawk at him. Although that may have been his imagination. He sat in the Hog’s Head, where he knew no one would first look. How long had it been since he first stepped foot in here, and ordered, ‘the strongest crap you have’?  
“Potter?” The snobbish voice, though drunk, was unmistakable.  
Approaching him was Draco, pale, face sunken with eyes even darker than before the battle. He looked like he hadn’t slept in a year. Harry carefully grabbed his wand, and Draco snickered.


	2. Draco

“Don’t bother,” Draco said, “I’m not interested in hurting you.”

“Then what are you doing here?”

“Don’t you believe in coincidences, Potter?”

“Not really.”

“I’ve been coming here every day since,” Draco paused, finished off the last of whatever was in his glass.

“Draco…” Harry began, but stopped. **What was he going to say?**

Draco peered at him, unused to Harry saying his first name.

“Did you just call me…”

Harry nodded, and Draco looked away.

“I’m…sorry.”

“Sorry? For what?”

“Everything,” Draco said, lips quivering, eyes watering.

“How drunk ARE you?”

“I can’t remember,” Draco laughed.

“You should go home.”

“Home?” Draco scoffed, seemingly upset, “You think I can go home?”

“It’s a suggestion.”

“No. Not like this. Not…pissing away my inheritance on…booze and…”

Draco stopped, as if just realizing who he was talking to.

“You’re…you’re going to kill me,” Draco muttered, “That’s why you’re here.”

“What?”

“Some petty plot for revenge,” Draco continued.

“You’ve gone mad,” Harry said, and stood up, which caused Draco to jump, “I’m going to leave now. Goodbye, Draco.”

“Bye, Harry,” Draco said, almost inaudible.

As Harry exited the bar, he wondered if Draco really was losing his mind.

…

“Harry!” Hermione shouted when she found him walking around the village as the sun began to set, “Where’ve you been?”

“Around,” He slurred.

“Are you…drunk?”

“This is nothing, you should’ve seen Draco!”

“Harry, what are you…”

He explained.

“Why did you leave?” Hermione asked.

“I…I don’t…belong.”

“Don’t belong?” Hermione demanded, “What the hell do you mean you don’t belong?”

Harry was silent, pleading that she would understand, and she did.

“Ron loves you,” She continued, “The Weasleys were worried sick!”

“They shouldn’t worry about me,” Harry said.

“And why not?”

“Because…Fred would still be alive if it weren’t for me!”

“They don’t blame you, I don’t blame you. No one does. Come back, please. We need you.”

She put out her hand and Harry took it.

“We’ll go to the house.”


	3. The Hand That Won't Move Again

“He’s back!” George’s voice rang, alerting Ron, Arthur and Molly.

“Oh, honey!” Mrs. Weasley said upon seeing Harry.

“Harry!” Ron threw his arms around his boyfriend, “I thought…”

“I shouldn’t have left like that,” Harry said, “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, it’s quite all right, Harry,” Arthur spoke, “A little warning next time would do.”

“It’s late,” Ron said, “Come on Harry, let’s go to bed.”

Harry gave a quick nod to Arthur and Molly as he followed Ron up the stairs.

 

“Do they know?” Harry asked.

“Bill knows,” Ron answered, “I let it slip when we were at the shack.”

“And your parents?”

Ron shook his head.

“Why did you leave?” He asked.

Harry sighed. “F…Fred,” His voice cracked. **_You don’t get to say his name, you let him die._**

Ron just nodded.

“Sh…should…have…s…saved…him…” Harry tried to speak through newly formed tears.

“None of us blame you.”

“You…sh…should…”

Ron caressed Harry’s tear-soaked face.

“What could you have done?”

Harry was silent. **_You can’t even think of something to save your boyfriend’s brother! Pathetic! You have no place in their home, in their lives!_**

“Exactly,” Ron spoke, “Fred CHOSE to fight, to help you.”

“No one…should…die…for me.”

“He…WE…CHOSE to fight, to protect you, because you’re…family. Never, in a million years could we have…” Ron paused, “When I saw you, lying there, I thought you were…Harry, the world crashed around me. I stopped caring about fighting, about who won…I was nothing without you.”

“Don’t say that. I need you.”

“And yet you left.”

“Because I don’t deserve you!”

Ron hugged the still sobbing Harry.

“We’ll get through this,” Ron said, “I promise.”

Harry wiped his tears and leaned his head onto the redhead’s shoulder.

“You can sleep in my bed tonight,” Ron said, “So you don’t have to be alone.”

“What about your parents?”

“I don’t care. If they don’t like it, they’ll have to deal with it.”

…

Moving away from Ron’s gentle embrace, Harry got up and wandered down the stairs. It wasn’t yet light out, too early for anyone to be awake, but he wanted some fresh air.

“Morning, Harry,” a voice caused him to jump when he reached the kitchen.

“Hi, George.”

The last person he wanted to see: the lone twin. Harry couldn’t stand to look at him.

“You know, it helps to look at people when you’re talking,” George said lightly.

“Sorry,” Harry forced his eyes over to the twin.

“Been watching the clock,” George said, “Nothing better to do, I can’t sleep. It’ll never move again…that hand…”

George choked, tears filling his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Harry pleaded, as if confessing to a crime.

“No,” the twin corrected, catching the implication in Harry’s tone, “It’s not YOU who…killed him…”

George clenched his fists, unable to stop the tears.

“You’re not responsible for his death,” He continued, “For any of the deaths.”

“You think so?”

“Of course,” George said, then smiled, “You know, Ron was right to choose you.”

“That means a lot coming from you.”

…

After his talk with George, Harry decided to go back upstairs to Ron, who was still fast asleep. He sat back into bed, snuggling against his boyfriend again. Later, though it might have been a dream, he heard someone speak.

“See, Mom? I told you they fancied each other.”

“Let them sleep, Ginny.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed my story. The next in this series will be about Draco.


End file.
